Vertical media storage system

ABSTRACT

The invention comprises a storage system that facilitates the adjustment and rearrangement of vertically-stacked components comprising two oppositely-faced panels and a plurality of carriers having opposing side walls and a rear wall to provide a cavity for holding a unit to be stored, the carriers being stacked between the oppositely-faced panels in vertical array and being positioned relative to the oppositely-faced panels such that the carriers may be slidably moved in a vertical direction relative to the panels but positioned against removal from between the panels through the combination of a protuberance and recess interlock between the panels and each carrier, said protuberance being retractable from the recess to allow entry and egress of each carrier from the panels.

This invention is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 09/016,006, filed Jan. 30, 1998, now abandoned which applicationclaims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No.60/036,070, filed Jan. 30, 1997.

This invention relates to a system for storing vertically stacked units,such as, for example, compact discs (CD) and digital versatile discs(DVD), wherein a pre-determined positional placement of an added unit(s)within the stacked units is facilitated.

While reference is made hereafter to CD's in explaining and illustratingthe invention, it should be understood that the invention is applicableto storage systems of vertically stacked media generally wherein themedia is stored in a carrier which is positioned in the vertical stackof the storage system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently, the most popular storage system for CD's relies on fixedtracks or slots in which the CD's, within their respective cases, areinserted into a fixed track unit or slot and removed from the track foruse.

In a CD storage system wherein a system of organization such asalphabetizing or grouping is to be maintained, the prior art unitarytrack or slot system creates a problem when additional CD's are soughtto be added to the system. In order to create an open track or slot at aparticular position in the vertical stack, each and every CD above orbelow the track or slot to be voided for insertion of the additional CDmust be moved one track or slot, up or down. Such a system isinconvenient and time consuming and tends to direct the person storingthe CD's away from an organized storage system.

A further problem is that some CD's come in a double CD case whichrequires the physical space of two tracks or slots without any partitionbetween them. In this situation, it is impossible to store a double CDcase in a storage system unless the system provides a double spacetrack. Where a double space track is provided, its location is fixed,thus, not permitting a system of organization.

Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are the easein which a specific track or slot may be made available for anadditional CD, assuming, of course, that the storage system is not atfull capacity. There is no need to remove each CD as required by a fixedtrack/slot system, blocks of CD's being moved up or down without needfor removal of each and every CD as in the prior art.

Another object and advantage is the ability to insert different size CDcases anywhere within the storage unit. This allows double CD cases tobe stored anywhere in the storage unit by simply removing two singlestorage carriers and replacing them with a single double carrier.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent froma consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In its broadest aspect, the invention comprises a storage system thatfacilitates the adjustment and rearrangement of vertically-stackedcomponents comprising two oppositely-faced panels and a plurality ofcarriers having opposing side walls and a rear wall to provide a cavityfor holding a unit to be stored, the carriers being stacked in verticalarray between the oppositely-faced panels and being positioned relativeto the oppositely-faced panels such that the carriers may be slidablymoved in a vertical direction relative to the panels but positionedagainst removal from between the panels through the combination of aprotuberance and recess interlock between the panels and each carrier,said protuberance being retractable from the recess to allow entry andegress of each carrier from the panels.

In one embodiment, the invention comprises a storage system havingoppositely facing storage panels each with a recess or track along itslength and a carrier for the units to be stored having on each sidethereof a retractable protuberance which is positioned on the carrier soas to be received in the recess of each panel when the carrier is fullyinserted into the storage system.

In a particular embodiment of the carrier of this invention, the carrieris a three-sided member, rectangular in shape, and having two sidemembers joined to a back member and having an open end for receiving themedia unit to be stored; each side wall of the carrier having aprotuberance positioned so as to be received in the recess of eachoppositely faced panel, the joinder of each side wall with the back wallbeing sufficiently flexible to permit clearing the protuberance from therespective panel recesses when the side walls are flexed toward eachother.

In a further embodiment of the panels and the carrier, the recess ofeach panel has a series of scallop-shaped undulations along its lengthand the protuberances on the carrier are shaped to have the mostextended portion of the protuberance received within the deepest portionof the scallop-shaped undulation on the oppositely facing panels. Theadvantages of this embodiment will be explained hereafter.

As an improvement to the broadest aspect of the invention, a furtherprotuberance and recess interlock in the path of egress of the carrierfrom the oppositely-faced panels is provided such that movement of thecarrier to the second interlock position precludes slidable movement ina vertical direction of the carrier positioned at the second interlockthereby providing a support against vertical descent of the carriersarrayed above the carrier at the second interlock position.

As an improvement to the embodiment having a panel recess andprotuberances on the outer side walls of the carrier, a panel andcarrier configuration is provided that stabilizes in place all carriersabove a desired location, thus permitting only carriers below thedesired position to descend when a carrier below the desired position isremoved. In the preferred form of the panel configuration of theimprovement, each panel has a plurality of horizontal slots forreceiving the retractable protuberance on the opposing side walls of acarrier, the slot extending a limited distance beyond the boundary ofthe panel recess nearest the carrier exit. In a preferred form of thepanels and carriers of the improvement, each of said slots and theprotuberances on the opposing side walls of the carrier have a matinglocking surface that stabilizes the carrier in a locked-out positionbetween the panels. In said locked-out position, the rearward portion ofthe carrier is disposed across the width of the panel recess and acts tosupport all overlying carriers.

IN THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a CD stand having an embodiment of thepanels and carrier of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a first embodiment of a singlecarrier of this invention disposed within a segment of the recess ortrack of the panels of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of an embodiment of a single carrier ofthis invention partially withdrawn from the panel of this invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a storage unit showing an embodiment ofa panel of this invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an embodiment of a carrier of this invention.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the carrier of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the carrier of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view of a further embodiment of thepanel of this invention.

FIG. 9 is a partial plan view of a further embodiment of the carrier ofthis invention.

FIG. 10 is a partial enlarged cross-sectional front view of the carrierof FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a partial schematic of the preferred panel of the CD standshowing carriers in the open and locked positions.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a panel of thisinvention showing the panel of the schematic of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a CD stand having the panels of FIG. 12and carriers in open and locked positions in the CD stand.

FIG. 14 is a plan view of a preferred form of the carrier of thisinvention.

FIG. 14A is a side view of the carrier of FIG. 14.

FIG. 14B is a front view of the carrier of FIG. 14.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In FIG. 1, the storage unit, generally designated as 10, comprises astand 12 having top, bottom, back (not shown) and side walls, 14, 16, 18and 20, respectively. Best shown in FIG. 4, mounted on opposing sidewalls 20 of the stand 12 are panels 22, which panels 22 have a centrallydisposed recess 24 transversing the length of the panel 22. Stackedwithin the stand 12 is a plurality of carriers 26; each carrier (bestshown in FIGS. 5-7) being configured to receive a CD in its opening 33.A protuberance 30 is disposed on each side wall 27 of the carrier 26that is sized to fit within the recess 24 in each of the panels 22; theprotuberance 30 functioning to foreclose the removal of the carrier 26from the panels 22 when the protuberance 30 is positioned within therecess 24 of the panels 22.

In FIG. 2, an embodiment of the carrier 26 is shown fully inserted intothe panels 22 with the protuberances 30 positioned within the recess 24of each of panels 22. Not shown in FIG. 2 are a plurality of verticallystacked carriers beneath the carrier 26.

In FIG. 3, the carrier 26 is shown partially removed from the panels 22.This is accomplished by the inward flexure of the side walls 27 of thecarrier 26 so as to deliver the protuberance 30 in each side wall 27 ofthe carrier 26 out of registry with the recess 24 in each of the panels22. The carrier may be fully removed from the panels by forwardlypulling the carrier from the stand while the carrier is in a flexedposition.

In FIG. 4, the stand 12 comprises a top wall 14, a bottom wall 16, backwall 18 and two oppositely facing side walls 20. Disposed on each sidewall 20 is a panel 22, the panel on the right side wall being shown inphantom by dotted lines. Each panel 22 extends the full height of theside wall 20 and comprises raised portions 23 defining a recess 24,which recess functions as a track for the carrier (not shown) to move inan up or down direction along the panels 22.

It should be understood that the panel of this invention need not beused with the stand 12 shown in FIG. 4 but the panels 22 could beaffixed to any parallel and spaced surfaces and, together with thecarrier of this invention, function as a storage system that facilitatesthe organized placement of the carriers of this invention.

In FIG. 5 is shown an embodiment of a carrier of this invention. Thecarrier, generally designated as 26, has flexible side walls 27terminating in a rear wall 29; the side walls 27 and rear wall 29 havingupper and lower extensions 31 and 32 (see FIG. 6), respectively,disposed normal to the side and back walls, which side wall and itsextensions and the back wall and its extensions define a channel 33, thechannel 33 serving to isolate and support a CD inserted therein. Each ofthe side walls 27 has a protuberance 30 disposed approximately mid-wayalong the length of the side wall that is sized so as to be received inthe recess 24 of the panels 22. Additionally, the forward portion 34 ofthe side walls 27 extends beyond the front edge of the panels 22 andterminates in a gripping surface 35, which may be gripped to inwardlyflex the side walls of the carrier 26. Further, the outwardly extendingportion 35 provides a means for grabbing the carrier, squeezing the sidewalls of the carrier toward each other to de-register the protuberanceson the side wall of the carrier from the recess in each of the panelsand thereby facilitate removal of the carrier from the panels.

In using the panels/carrier of this invention to selectively place a CDat a predetermined position in a vertical stack of CD's, the followingsteps are taken:

1) an empty carrier, that is, a carrier without an encased CD, isremoved from the panel, such removal causing all carriers above theremoved carrier to fall one position;

2) the fore retention means of the carrier positioned at the site wherea new carrier/CD is desired is elevated sufficiently to create anopening in the stack to receive the new carrier/CD;

3) the new carrier/CD is then inserted in the vertical stack at theopening.

Thus, it is seen that the storage system of this invention allows forthe organizational placement of CD's by the removal of a single carrier.

FIGS. 8-10 show a second embodiment of the panels/carrier of thisinvention wherein one or more carriers may be removed from the panelwithout having the carriers above the removed carrier(s) drop.

In FIG. 8, the panel 22 has a recess 24 wherein the bottom 50 of therecess comprises a series of scallop-shaped undulations 52, the distancebetween the points of furthest radially inward projection of successivescallop-shaped undulations being set so as to receive in a matingrelation semi-circular shaped protuberances 62 positioned on the sidewalls of each carrier. FIG. 10 best shows the shape of the protuberances62.

In using the embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9, the mating of the surfaces ofthe recess of the panels and the protuberances on the carrier willprovide a sufficient interlock force such that removal of a carrier fromthe vertical stack will not result in the collapse of the stack abovethe removed carrier; yet the interlocking force is sufficiently weak toallow for collapsing the vertical stack upon the application of a manualforce.

To positionally insert a carrier (for ultimate acceptance of a CD) in asystem having the panels/carrier embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9, thefollowing steps are taken:

1. Assuming a full stack of CD's totalling twenty (20) in number whereinthe user wishes to dispose a new carrier in the fifth position from thetop and wherein there is an empty carrier (no CD) in the tenth positionfrom the top;

2. Remove the empty carrier from the tenth position;

3. Exert a downward force on the carrier in the fifth position;

4. The downward force will cause the carriers in the fifth through ninthposition to move one position downward creating an opening in the fifthposition for insertion of the empty carrier. After positioning the emptycarrier, insert the CD.

5. Conversely, if the empty carrier is positioned above the positionwhere it is desired to insert a carrier, the empty carrier is removed,the carriers at and above the position

wherein the carrier is sought to be placed are moved upwardly and thecarrier is inserted in the desired position created by the upwardlymoved carriers.

In FIG. 11, there is shown a panel, generally designated as 70, having arecess portion 72 and two raised portions 74, forward portion 74A andrearward portion 74B. As thus disclosed, the panel 70 is identical tothe panels of FIGS. 1 and 4, except that the rearward portion 74B isnarrower than in FIGS. 1 and 4. Extending from the recess 72 toward theforward end 80 of the panel 70 is a slot 82, the bottom surface 84defining the slot 82 having a C-shaped depression 86. Further shown inFIG. 11 is a carrier 76, having a protuberance 78 (Carrier Position “A”)residing in the recess 72. The bottom surface of the protuberance 78 hasa C-shaped protuberance 79. The partial schematic panel of FIG. 11 isdisposed within a housing 92, best shown in FIG. 13.

Drill hole 90 is shown. FIG. 12 shows the complete panel of FIG. 11 witha series of drill holes 90 for affixing the panel to an outer housingshown best in FIG. 13 at 92.

As shown in Carrier Position “B”, (See FIG. 11) the carrier 76 has beenmoved toward the forward end 80 so that the protuberance 78 resides inthe slot 82. By mating the C-shaped depression 86 and the C-shapedprotuberance 79, the carrier 76 is stabilized against forward andrearward motion between the panels. The carrier 76 may be returned toits stored position (Carrier Position “A”) between the panels by simplyapplying rearward pressure against the portion of the carrier extendingforwardly beyond the panel. Alternatively, the carrier 76 may becompletely removed from Carrier Position “B” by moving the side walls ofthe carrier 76 toward each other to thereby de-register theprotuberance/recess interlock and release the carrier from the storageunit. Moreover, such positioning of the carrier 76 (Carrier Position“B”) provides a supporting platform for all carriers in vertical arrayabove the carrier at Carrier Position “B.”

FIGS. 14, 14A and 14B show the most preferred embodiment of the carrierof this invention. In FIG. 14, the carrier generally designated as 50,has flexible side walls 52 terminating in a rear wall 54. Traversing thespace between the respective side walls 52 is a semi-circular arcportion 56 which is integral to the side walls 52. Each of the sidewalls has a protuberance 58 disposed approximately mid-way along thelength of the side wall that is sized so as to be received in the recess72 (See FIG. 12) of the panels 70. At the forward terminus of the sidewalls 52 and positioned at the lower portion 54 of the side walls 52 isan extended portion 60 which acts as a gripping surface and serves thepurpose described above.

With the embodiment of the CD stack shown in FIGS. 11-13, thealphabetizing or other desired repositioning of the carriers in the CDstand may be carried out as follows:

Assume, for example, a 50 carrier capacity unit which has spaces 1-40occupied with CD-bearing carriers and the user would like to insert anew CD in the 25th position, the user would perform the following steps:

1. Locate the position directly above the point in which a space isneeded. In this case it would be the 24th position.

2. Pull the 24th carrier (with the CD still in place) outward until itclicks into the lock-out position.

3. Remove an empty media carrier from the bottom of the unit. At thispoint all other media carriers below the 24th position will drop oneposition creating an empty space in the 25th position.

4. Insert the empty media carrier in the 25th position.

5. Push the 24th carrier back into the unlocked position.

Operation is now complete.

Having the benefit of the disclosure herein, it will be obvious thatmultiple carriers, e.g., a double carrier, may be accommodated in thestorage system of this invention by the initial removal of the doublecarrier and following the steps outlined above for both embodiments ofthe carriers of this invention.

The carriers of this invention may be made of any material having theinherent property of being flexible, e.g., plastic or metal alloys. Thestand, including the panels, may be manufactured from wood, metal alloyor plastic materials.

Many possible embodiments may be made without departing from the scopehereof; it is to be understood that all description herein set forth orshown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrativeand not in a limiting sense.

I claim:
 1. A storage system that facilitates the adjustment andrearrangement of a plurality of individual units comprising a housinghaving a first end and a second end for said plurality of individualunits and a plurality of individual unit carriers for separatelyretaining said plurality of individual units, each of said plurality ofindividual unit carriers being slidable within said housing, saidhousing including a first end wall connected to said first end of saidhousing, a second end wall connected to said second end of said housing,and a first engagement member and said plurality of individual unitcarriers including a second engagement member engageable with said firstengagement member, whereby when said second engagement member of one ofsaid individual unit carriers is engaged with said first engagementmember said one of said individual unit carriers is slidably movablebetween said first and second end walls within said housing, and whereinsaid second engagement member of said one of said individual unitcarriers can only be disengaged from said first engagement member whensaid individual unit is removed from said one of said individual unitcarriers, and when said second engagement member of said one of saidindividual unit carriers is disengaged from said first engagementmember, said one of said individual unit carriers is removable from saidhousing in a direction of egress and replaceable at any location withinsaid housing.
 2. The storage system of claim 1 wherein said housingincludes a pair of housing side walls and each of said plurality ofindividual unit carriers includes a pair of opposing carrier side walls,said first engagement member comprising a pair of recesses disposedalong the length of each of said pair of housing side walls and saidsecond engagement member comprising a pair of protuberances disposed oneach of said pair of opposing carrier side walls, with each of said pairof protuberances being positioned to be received within said pair ofrecesses upon insertion of said plurality of individual unit carrierswithin said housing, and said pair of protuberances being retractablefrom said pair of recesses only when said individual unit is removedfrom said one of said individual unit carriers in order to remove saidindividual unit carrier from said housing.
 3. The storage system ofclaim 2 wherein said pair of opposing carrier side walls are flexible,whereby said protuberances are retractable from said recesses by flexingsaid pair of opposing side walls towards each other to thereby disengagesaid second engagement member from said first engagement member.
 4. Thestorage system of claim 3 wherein said pair of recesses are centrallydisposed along the length of each of said pair of housing side walls. 5.The storage system of claim 3 wherein said pair of carrier side wallsincludes a forward end and a rearward end, and each of said forward endsof said pair of carrier side walls may be gripped and inwardly flexedthereby.
 6. The storage system of claim 1 wherein said plurality ofindividual unit carriers are vertically stacked in said housing, saidhousing including a plurality of first stabilizer members and saidplurality of individual unit carriers each including a second stabilizermember, whereby upon removal of one of said plurality of individual unitcarriers from said vertical stack within said housing each of saidothers of said plurality of individual unit carriers disposed verticallyabove said one of said plurality of individual unit carriers isstabilized against gravitational descent within said housing but remainsphysically slidable within said housing upon the exertion of apredetermined pressure thereon.
 7. The storage system of claim 1 whereinsaid plurality of individual unit carriers are vertically stacked insaid housing, said housing including a pair of housing side walls andeach of said plurality of individual unit carriers including a pair ofopposing carrier side walls, said first engagement member comprising arecess disposed along the length of each of said pair of housing sidewalls and said second engagement member comprising a protuberancedisposed on each of said pair of carrier side walls, with each of saidprotuberances being positioned to be received within one of saidrecesses of said pair of side walls upon insertion of said plurality ofindividual unit carriers within said housing, said protuberances beingretractable from said recesses only when said individual unit is removedfrom said individual unit carrier in order to remove said plurality ofindividual unit carriers from said housing.
 8. The storage system ofclaim 1 wherein said housing includes a pair of housing side walls andeach of said plurality of individual unit carriers includes a pair ofopposing carrier side walls, said pair of opposing carrier side wallsbeing sufficiently flexible such that upon removing said individual unitfrom said individual unit carrier and flexing said pair of opposingcarrier side walls towards each other causes said second engagementmember to disengage from said first engagement member whereby saidplurality of individual unit carriers may be removed from said housing.9. The storage system of claim 8 wherein said pair of opposing carrierside walls includes outwardly extending projections, whereby saidoutwardly extending projections can be grasped in order to flex saidopposing carrier side walls towards each other.
 10. The storage systemof claim 7 wherein said plurality of individual unit carriers is movablebetween a first position within said housing whereby said plurality ofindividual unit carriers is slidable within said housing and a secondposition wherein said plurality of individual unit carriers is notslidable within said housing, said housing including a third engagementmember, whereby said second engagement member is engageable with saidthird engagement member when said one of said plurality of individualunit carriers is in said second position to thereby prevent verticalsliding of each of said plurality of individual unit carriers disposedabove said one of said plurality of individual unit carriers within saidhousing.
 11. The storage system of claim 10 wherein said thirdengagement member comprising a plurality of slots extending horizontallyfrom said recess in said direction of egress of said one of saidplurality of individual unit carriers from said housing.
 12. The storagesystem of claim 11 wherein said plurality of slots are vertically spacedto receive said plurality of protuberances, said plurality ofprotuberances being disposed at a location on said carrier side wallswhereby a carrier positioned with said protrusion in said slot extendsrearwardly a sufficient distance to support said individual unitcarriers stacked vertically thereabove.
 13. The storage system of claim12 wherein said plurality of slots are horizonally disposed at alocation with respect to said plurality of protuberances whereby saidpositioning of said protrusion within said slot causes said one of saidindividual unit carriers to be raised vertically upwardly.
 14. Thestorage system of claim 13 wherein said first engagement surfacecomprises a depression and said second engagement surface comprises aprotruding surface.
 15. The storage system of claim 12 wherein saidplurality of slots includes a first engagement surface and saidplurality of protrusions includes a second engagement surface forhindering lateral movement of said individual unit carriers when saidindividual unit carriers are in said second position.
 16. The storagesystem of claim 15 wherein said first engagement surface comprises aC-shaped depression and said second engagement surface comprises aC-shaped protruding surface.
 17. A storage system that facilitates theadjustment and rearrangement of a plurality of individual unitscomprising a housing having a first end and a second end for saidplurality of individual units and a plurality of individual unitcarriers for separately retaining said plurality of individual units,each of said plurality of individual unit carriers being slidable withinsaid housing, said housing including a first end wall connected to saidfirst end of said housing, a second end wall connected to said secondend of said housing, and a first engagement member and said plurality ofindividual unit carriers including a second engagement member, saidfirst and second engagement members movable between a first condition inwhich said second engagement member of one of said individual unitcarriers is engaged with said first engagement member and a secondcondition in which said second engagement member of said one of saidindividual unit carriers is disengaged from said first engagementmember, wherein when said first and second engagement members are insaid first condition said one of said individual unit carriers isslidably movable between said first and second end walls within saidhousing but cannot be removed from said housing, and when said first andsecond engagement members are in said second condition said one of saidindividual unit carriers is removable from said housing in a directionof egress and replaceable at any location within said housing.
 18. Thestorage system of claim 17 wherein said second engagement member of saidone of said individual unit carriers can only be disengaged from saidfirst engagement member when said individual unit is removed from saidone of said individual unit carriers.
 19. A storage system thatfacilitates the adjustment and rearrangement of a plurality ofvertically stacked individual units comprising a housing having a firstend and a second end for said plurality of individual units and aplurality of individual unit carriers for separately retaining saidplurality of individual units, each of said plurality of individual unitcarriers being slidable within said housing, said housing including afirst end wall connected to said first end of said housing, a second endwall connected to said second end of said housing, a pair of housingside walls each including a first engagement member comprising a recessdisposed along the length of said pair of housing side walls, and saidplurality of individual unit carriers including a pair of carrier sidewalls each including a second engagement member engageable with saidfirst engagement member comprising a protuberance disposed on said pairof carrier side walls, with each of said protuberances being positionedto be received within one of said recesses of said pair of housing sidewalls upon insertion of said plurality of individual unit carrierswithin said housing, said protuberances being retractable from saidrecesses in order to remove said plurality of individual unit carriersfrom said housing, whereby when said second engagement member of one ofsaid individual unit carriers is engaged with said first engagementmember said one of said individual unit carriers is releasably engagedand slidable between said first and second end walls within saidhousing, and when said second engagement member of said one of saidindividual unit carriers is disengaged from said first engagementmember, said one of said individual unit carriers is removable from saidhousing in a direction of egress and replaceable at any location withinsaid housing, said plurality of individual unit carriers being movablebetween a first position within said housing whereby said plurality ofindividual unit carriers is slidable within said housing, and a secondposition wherein said plurality of individual unit carriers is notslidable within said housing, said housing including a third engagementmember comprising a plurality of slots extending horizontally from saidrecess in said direction of egress of said one of said plurality ofindividual unit carriers from said housing, whereby said secondengagement member is engageable with said third engagement member whensaid one of said plurality of individual unit carriers is in said secondposition to thereby prevent vertical sliding of each of said pluralityof individual unit carriers disposed above said one of said plurality ofindividual unit carriers within said housing.
 20. A storage system thatfacilitates the adjustment and rearrangement of a plurality ofvertically stacked individual units comprising a housing having a firstend and a second end for said plurality of individual units and aplurality of individual unit carriers for separately retaining saidplurality of units, each of said plurality of individual unit carriersbeing slidable within said housing, said housing including a first endwall connected to said first end of said housing, a second end wallconnected to said second end of said housing, and a first engagementmember, and said plurality of individual unit carriers including asecond engagement member engageable with said first engagement member,whereby when said second engagement member of one of said individualunit carriers is engaged with said first engagement member said one ofsaid individual unit carriers is releasably engaged and slidable betweensaid first and second end walls within said housing, and when saidsecond engagement member of said one of said individual unit carriers isdisengaged from said first engagement member, said one of saidindividual unit carriers is removable from said housing in a directionof egress and replaceable at any location within said housing, saidhousing further including a plurality of first stabilizer members andsaid plurality of individual unit carriers each including a secondstabilizing member, whereby upon removal of one of said plurality ofindividual unit carriers from said vertical stack within said housingeach of said others of said plurality of individual unit carriersdisposed vertically above said one of said individual unit carriers isstabilized against gravitational descent within said housing but remainsphysically slidable within said housing upon the exertion of apredetermined pressure thereon.
 21. A storage system that facilities theadjustment and rearrangement of a plurality of vertically stackedindividual units comprising a housing having a first end and a secondend for said plurality of individual units and a plurality of individualunit carriers for separately retaining said plurality of individualunits, each of said plurality of individual unit carriers being slidablewithin said housing, said housing including a first end wall connectedto said first end of said housing, a second end wall connected to saidsecond end of said housing, and a pair of housing side walls eachincluding a first engagement member comprising a recess disposed alongthe length of said pair of housing side walls, and said plurality ofindividual unit carriers including a pair of opposing carrier side wallseach including a second engagement member engageable with said firstengagement member comprising a protuberance disposed on said pair ofcarrier side walls, with each of said protuberances being positioned tobe received within one of said recesses of said pair of side walls uponinsertion of said plurality of individual unit carriers within saidhousing, said protuberances being retractable from said recesses whensaid individual units are removed from said individual unit carriers inorder to remove said plurality of individual unit carriers from saidhousing, whereby when said second engagement member of one of saidindividual unit carriers is engaged with said first engagement membersaid one of said individual unit carriers is releasably engaged betweensaid first and second end walls within said housing, and when saidsecond engagement member of said one of said individual unit carriers isdisengaged from said first engagement member, said one of saidindividual unit carriers is removable from said housing in a directionof egress and replaceable at any location within said housing.
 22. Thestorage system of claim 21 wherein said plurality of individual unitcarriers is movable between a first position within said housing wherebysaid plurality of individual unit carriers is slidable within saidhousing and a second position wherein said plurality of individual unitcarriers is not slidable within said housing, said housing including athird engagement member, whereby said second engagement member isengageable with said third engagement member when said one of saidplurality of individual unit carriers is in said second position tothereby prevent vertical sliding of each of said plurality of individualunit carriers disposed above said one of said plurality of individualunit carriers within said housing.
 23. A storage system that facilitatesthe adjustment and rearrangement of a plurality of individual unitscomprising a housing having a first end and a second end for saidplurality of individual units and a plurality of individual unitcarriers for separately retaining said plurality of individual units,each of said plurality of individual unit carriers being slidable withinsaid housing, said housing including a first end wall connected to saidfirst end of said housing, a second end wall connected to said secondend of said housing, a pair of housing side walls, and a firstengagement member, and said plurality of individual unit carriersincluding a second engagement member engageable with said firstengagement member, whereby when said second engagement member of one ofsaid individual unit carriers is engaged with said first engagementmember said one of said individual unit carriers is releasably engagedand slidable between said first and second end walls within saidhousing, and when said second engagement member of said one of saidindividual unit carriers is disengaged from said first engagementmember, said one of said individual unit carriers is removable from saidhousing in a direction of egress and replaceable at any location withinsaid housing, each of said plurality of individual unit carriersincluding a pair of opposing carrier side walls, said pair of opposingside walls being sufficiently flexible such that flexing said pair ofopposing side walls towards each other causes said second engagementmember to disengage from said first engagement member only when saidindividual unit is removed from said one of said individual unitcarriers whereby said plurality of individual unit carriers may beremoved from said vertical stack within said housing.